http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ju ... d-leave-uk

I'm sorry, but is that what happens when you piss off society's well-to-do now? We're deporting people because they caused embarrassment, and after they've served a ridiculous sentence?

If they've got something substantial on this guy they're gonna wind up saying so, it's gonna be a story either way. This is why the state can't have nice things!

It's not uncommon in other countries for those on a visa/green card to be automatically deported if they commit a criminal offense, although that's not actually the law in the UK. His sentence was pretty over the top, but he should have realised what he did was going to be something that would count against him on his visa renewal. I personally don't think he should be deported, but he has to accept some responsibility for the situation.

He can't just hold his hands up and say 'I did nothing wrong!'. He did something stupid. He doesn't deserve the consequences that seem to be coming down on him, but then there are plenty of people who do stupid things and have to deal with consequences they didn't anticipate and a number of them end up being deported. They just don't get in the papers.

I have sympathy for his wife and child. Him? At the end of the day, it's his action that set in motion a chain of events that is causing them so much misery. Do you think his wife right now is thinking 'God this so unfair' or 'You dickhead, what did you think you were doing?'

Probably a result of some badly thought out legislation, which didn't evict the undesirable person it was intended for anyway.
I do sympathise with Mr Oldfield but life can be tough. A few I know have had to leave Oz with no leave to return. I had hoped we were more civilised, the climate has changed this century it seems.

I care not one iota that the boat race was disrupted, but poking the bear and then whining when it mauls you is lame.

Tough titty, cobber.

Oh, he's an idiot, but he's inadvertently proved his point big time. That's what I find a bit scary.

Well, maybe. It has been reported that a) He's changed what 'the point' was several times, so I rather suspect it's post facto justification for bit of plain stupidity that didn't have any great plan behind it and b) he went to one of Australia's most prestigious private schools, and set up a business in the UK on the back of a very generous financial gift from his parents, so I'm not sure he's got very much moral high ground to be protesting about wealth and privilege.

Now a) could be used to argue it was a spur of the moment thing and should therefore not be held against him (which I would - I think he's an idiot, not a terrorist). And he has undoubtedly proved that the establishment don't like people upsetting their fun.Yet the simple fact remains : both rich and poor, we all should accept responsibility for our actions. It does seem to me he's been badly advised - a report I saw said his lawyer told him it simply wouldn't be an issue at his renewal hearing. But would you get married and have a child while you could, in theory at least, be deported at some point in the future? I'd have waited until I was naturalised to be honest with you. It's not black and white, but then it never is.

Well we are now living in a repressive state. If he did the same thing at a football match it would not have escalated this far. Because he interfered with the universities that the majority of the government went to meant that they were bound to over react.

My heart is bleeding for him. /s

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It's unbelievable. If splashing about a bit has consequences like this, something is very broken and that judge should be given life in Broadmoor.

They shouldn't have stopped rowing, oars can do very nasty injuries.

If they had and he had died they could have been charged with manslaughter.

It does seem a little bit vindictive but he can appeal and I bet it will be overturned on that

It seems exceptionally vindictive, and hopefully it will be overturned.

more like suicide by rower

Would that be the excuse for all those that die in police custody?